Melt spinning apparatus with pivotally mounted blowbox



June 14, 1960 B. COLLAT 2,940,122

MELT SPINNING APPARATUS WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BLOWBOX Filed Nov. 13,1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR LEWIS BYCK COLLAT BY axymiw ATTORNEY June 14, 1960 L. B. COLLAT2,940,122

MELT SPINNING APPARATUS WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BLOWBOX Filed Nov. 13.1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGZ I VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII J v 1 r m gr \IINVENTOR aLEWIS BYCK COLLAT BY Q xfimmm ATTORNEY L. B. COLLAT June 14,1960 MELT SPINNING APPARATUS WITHrPIVOTALLY MOUNTED BLOWBOX Filed Nov.13. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR LEWIS BYCK COLLAT ,wwdvaiw ATTORNEY L. B. COLLA T June 14, 1960MELT SPINNING APPARATUS WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BLOWBOX 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Nov. 13. 1953 INVENTOR LEWIS BYCK COLLAT M F. kwm

ATTORNEY United States Patent MELT SPINNING APPARATUS WITH PIVOTALLYMOUNTED BLOWBOX Lewis Byek Collat, Wilmington, Del., assignor to E. I.du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Nov. 13, 1953, Ser. No. 391,836

1 Claim. (Cl. 18-8) This invention relates to the spinning of filaments.More particularly, it relates to multi-end spinning and to means forkeeping filaments that are running in a group in their group positions,thereby preventing filaments running in one group from straying over andinto filaments running in another group.

Usually in the spinning of filaments from synthetic materials such ascellulose esters, vinyl polymers, polyamides and polyesters, a pluralityof filaments coming from a single spinneret are wound as a single yarnend. For more economic production, it is desirable to spin more than oneend of yarn from each spinneret. Therefore, spinnerets have beendesigned that contain a number of sections, each section havinga-plurality of orifices. The filaments formed from one of these sectionsare kept running together in a group and that group is formed into abundle. Each bundle coming from its respective section is wound into aseparate yarn package. It is possible to have each of the yarn packagesformed on individually driven spindles or formed through the driving ofa single spindle.

Because of their close proximity and because of minor disturbances inthe cell, filaments from one group tend to stray to another group.Prevention of this straying has,

been a serious problem in multi-end spinning procedures. Further, in atransfer of filaments-from a plurality of yarn bundles, off-standardyarn results when straying has occurred. Uniform denier and uniformfilament count are desired. Since the multi-end spinning operation isconducted at a high rate of speed, the straying can produce substantialquantities of the off-standard yarn.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide means'forpreventing the straying. A further object is the passing of a group offilaments through a spinneret cell a continuous manner and Winding upthe group of filaments without variation in filament count or denier. Astill further object is the handling of several groups of filaments insuch. a manner that the identity of each group is maintained throughoutthe spinning and winding operations.

The objectives of this invention are accomplished by the provision of asystem of bafiies in a cell or chimney assembly. The 'bafiles constitutean integral part of the filament hardening chimney or cell. String-up ofthe filamentsrunning from the spinneret head to a collecting means isaccomplished while the cell or chimney is in an open position. After thestringing-up, the assembly is closed and the desired partition isaccomplished. During this spinning operation a plurality of yarn bundlesis kept running in a continuous manner without change in'the identity ofany of the yarn bundles.

In the figures:

Figure 1, an elevation in perspective, shows one form of the apparatusof this invention, the apparatus being in an open position;

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation with one of the Patented June 14,1960 ICC chimney wings removed, showing the contour of the bafies.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the compartments;

Figure 4, a plan view, shows one form of a support for the unit of theapparatus containing the battles; and

Figure 5, also a plan view, shows another form of support for thisbathe-containing section.

In Figure l the spinneret head 1 contains a plurality of sections 2 eachof which has a plurality of orifices. From these sections a plurality offilaments is formed and each section gives rise to a filament bundle 3.These fila-g ment bundles 3 are passed downwardly through the spinbeams11 as shown in Figure '2.

prevent the setting up of eddy currents.

ning cell or chimney assembly 4, shown in closed position in Figure 3,to a winding up device (not shown). The assembly is made up of twosections, plenum chamber 5 and baflle unit 38. For convenience, theinvention is described in respect to a cross-flow chimney such as thatas by baflles 10 and out into the atmosphere or into a collechesupported by tion chamber. The plenum chamber can The bafiies 10, inperspective, can be seen in Figure 1. These bafiles are located inbetween the two chimney wings 12 which enclose the area of operation andwhich Steady state operation is obtained through the use of these wingsand The number of bafiles 10 that will be used will depend upon thenumber of filament bundles that are being spun. Each of the foursections 13 that is formed usually has no more space than exists betweenthe sections in the spinneret containing the groups of orifices. Thatis, the distance from battle to bafile is about the same as the distancebetween the center lines of the groups of orifices which go to make upthe separate filament bundles or be- 3 tween the center lines ofadjacent filament bundles. The baifies do not operate on these centerlines but are displaced into the spaces between these groups. Thebafiles are spaced apart in increments to fit into the spacings betweenthe filament bundles. Preferably, the spacings of the bafiles will equalthe spacings of the filament bundles.

The baflles it) may have outward protuberances 14 at the top portion andmay have indentations 15 at the bottom portion as required. A bafilewhere the outward protuberance at the top is simply the projectionformed by a slant line inclined at about 3 to the vertical has operatedsuccessfully.

As shown in Figure 2, the path of a filament in its downward travelthrough the chimney cell corresponds" approximately to the pathdesignated by dotted line 16. The medium that is being blown into theplenum chamber 5 and through the screen 7 tends to blow the fila-' mentsaway from the screen. The bowing efiect prior to complete string-up isgreater at the bottom of the device. Further, as shown in Figure 1, eachof the separate filament bundles 3 are converged and may be passed overthe finish roller 17 where the installation includes one.

This roller is usually driven in the direction of the travellingfilaments and the finish is applied to the. The fila PQS tion.

r .r 5 re turther. a y iron; the screen 7 atthe bottom than at top wherethe outward protuberances are. Since bundles into the proper guidethroat.

stringing up is usually accomplished before the chimney assemblyisclosed, the filaments are bowed out some- ,what as shown by path 16except that they are also bowed out considerably in the lower :part ofthe'cell as V well. With the contour of the bafiies 1,0 as shown, the

unit containingihe batfies can be swung into position without touchingthe filaments in the upper zone and with very little contactin the lowerzone. bafileprotuberances at the top enter the spaces between thefilament bundles just below the extruding means and thus ensure theproper partitioning of the filament. bundles as the battle unit isPushed inand seated-g Al though the bowing effect and unsteadincssinthe-fil f fint undles caus y t e string-up may have pr duced someinterminglingbf fil men s from adjace t bundles in. the ower zone, a t ebaffies are pushed in e e filaments are forc d into their p oper c mprtments y a sort of rolling contact'withthe hafile edges. The inward cut15 at' the bottom are adjusted to conformto the contour. V of the finishroller 17. "Ibis roller may be recessed or placed further away fromunit38, but it is usually desirablejo have it approximately verticallybelow the center line of the spinneret The converged filament" bundlesleaving the chimney assembly are passed to the wind-up devi es r r, V

As shown in the drawings, particularly in Figures 4 and :5, the unit 38containing the battles is pivotally mounted so that the unit maybe swunginto orout When the units and Y38 are in the closed The minor 4 tion isto converge the filament bundles and to pass the A similar set ofconvergence guides 35 and 36 can be located .at the lower- .most part ofthe assembly to insure that the bundles running of the filamentsthrough-the chimney assembly and without any interchange of filamentsamong the plurality of'bundles. This is'a distinct advantage, because indoifing and starting operations, in the absence of the bafiies of thisinvention, considerable disturbance occurs in the filament bundle linesin the chimney. Previously position, the surfaces 18 are in closecontacting position.

r The support shown in gu e -4,is aslide' bar 9 t mnt d on the beam 9.COQPQrating with the slide bar 19 are r members 20 each appropriatelymounted on a chimney.

ins 2- 1 a correspondi g pos t onbn'un t 5 thr ugh beaml9, are mountedpolished rods 21 which cooperate ith hin s 23.- ,et'th .ui o rwiuts. a pr f sli e efiected by this invention is complete and correct. *Upon arre r-conne ted Jto one of the himn y wings 12,

"through brackets 22 and members 20.' Pins; 39 'connecb' ingthesemembers and brackets pc'rtni jpivoting- At'theends ofthe slide bars 19are stops 24. The unit is pulled straight out until the members"20contact the-stops 24,

a At this point the chimney assembly 38 clears the rods '21 andmay be.swung intothe open position as shown by the dottedlines 25 in Figure 4.The arcthrough which the un t maybe swu g is 90 or mo a e uireduAnothcrtype o support is sh wn in i u 1 In this modification, thepolished rod l fi ismounted on the beam 9. Onthis rod is a slide bushing27 to which'is attached bracket 28 fixed at its other extremity to achimney wing 12. bracket pivots about point 29 on the bushing.

. Mounted on "the bracket'is roller 30 which holds the wing parallelwhile the wing is being opened. The,slid

ing'bu'shingcan be movedforward or backwards, andin the forward movementthe unit containing roller 39 moves to .a position against stop 40 whichposition is.

shownby dotted lines 31. in this position, roller 36 has cleared the endof the bar 26 and the wing can be swung into an open position withoutany appreciable play. This oftherolle'r' 30 on rod 26. 7 V a s As shownin Figures 1 and *2 there can'be mounted between the battles toward thelower end of the chimney.

unit 38 guide pins 33 and fingers 34w These guide pins and fingers areusually in the form of a V and their tunemodification permits thedisposal of the two left hand sliding bars 21.. Mountedon the bushing 27is' an adjustable stop 3 2.which can be used to adjust the pressure suchdisturbance ledto considerable straying of filaments. This operationeliminates the disturbance, and high standard yarn is produced at a highrate of speed.

The apparatus of this invention has been shown in.

use with a single spinneret: producing a multiplicity offilamentbundles. It may also be used in apparatus .comprising apluralityof closely spaced spinnerets producing a plurality of yarnbundles using a single large hardening cell. In either case the bafilesare readily removed .dur-

1 ing suchnecessary operations as installation of spinnerets,

wiping, threading-up and maintenance. The self-partiti'oni g eflectinsures a proper division'of the'filaments into th desired plurality ofbundles. In connection with a single spinneret, thisautomatic-partitioning is most important and desirable because of theclose spacings and because the filaments are traveling over: long .dis-"tances in close proximity through a'zone thronghwhich a gaseous mediumis movingrapidly. Separation of' filament bundles hand is eliminated andthe separation separation there is ,Iio possibility Qf straying while:the

unit is in closed positiong a departure from the above description whichcon forms to the present inventionis intended to be included within thescopeof the claim. V I claim: r

. A spinning apparatus for lthe'spinning'of filament bundles comprisinga spinneren'a spinningf cell adjacent thereto and through which thefilaments from the spin-j ne ret'pass, aplenumchamber for directingvapor across the path of thefilaments inthe. said cell, and a unitpivotally mounted to the plenum chamber for horizontal movement, saidunit containing a bafiie'positioned substantially parallel to the.filaments and extending sub- 'stantially'the full length ofthe saidcell, dividing the cell into chambers,

, References :Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,427,014 Pazsiczky Aug. 22, 1922 1,942,540 Dreyfus et al. .Jan. 9, 19341,959,443 Payne et al May 22, 1934 1,992,609 Dreyfus Feb. 26, 19352,017,113 Whitehead Oct. 15, 1935 2,273,105 Heckert Feb.-l7,'l9422,303,338 Dreyfus et'al. 'Dec; l, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES Sen'No. 362,260,Egger et 1. (A.P.C.), published A r.

